I thought that in the NEC it stated some where on cutting strands from a wire to get them to fit in a lug. Could someone help clarify this up.

Lugs & connectors are listed for use with a defined range of wire sizes.
If you have to cut strands to make it fit, you are using the wrong size lug, violating Article 110.3 & 110.14

DLinton:
I have never seen such a reference.
Although in my area at one time we were allowed to separate the the grounding electrode conductor into two parts and use two separate terminals, for example if it was a duplex with two 100 amp panels and a 200 amp service the No.4 wouldnt fit into the smaller lugs of the 100 amp panels. This was suggested to me by the city inspector, however, we have county inspectors for the rural area, and when I tried that out in the county he called to say, that he gigged the job, because I had separated the conductor as I did and said to me, You know Mark they make 'Listed Lugs' for that get a couple, this was about 6 years ago now.
As I said I have never seen a reference for that.
-Mark

I'll join Redsy with 110-3(b). The wire or cable is marked as being a certain wire gauge.

What size does it become when you start removing strands? For example 0001/2? (thats three & 1/2 aught). Since that wire size does not exist in the tables and the wires listing does not include trimming strands, then 110-(3)(b) covers this violation.

Not only that, the inspector could also fall back on 110-2 & see the definition of approved.

Tom

[This message has been edited by Tom (edited 03-19-2002).]

Now I am not second guesing you guys. I have been reading a lot from these forum pages and love it.---- So you can not use a #6 THHN with a 20 amp breaker due to the voltage drop because the lug is rated #14-#10? Just a question. Not to be assumed as a smarta__.

[This message has been edited by DLinton (edited 03-19-2002).]

DLinton ---

You splice a piece of #12 to the #6 and fasten that to the 20amp breaker.